Government Urged to Evaluate Response to and Prevention of Child Bullying

JAKARTA, KOMPAS.com - Member of the House of Representatives' Commission III, Abdullah, has urged the government to evaluate the system for handling and preventing bullying against children.

This evaluation is necessary following several incidents of bullying in various regions that reportedly led to the deaths of victims.

"No child should lose their future due to repeated bullying while we are slow to address the issue. The state must be present, not just after there are victims, but also through a prevention and handling system that truly functions," Abdullah stated in a press release on Monday (19/10/2026).

According to him, two recent bullying cases in Surabaya and Pemalang indicate that Indonesia is facing a bullying emergency.

"In my opinion, this is a bullying emergency concerning children, and radical reforms are needed. There have already been cases where children died due to suspected bullying, and some victims have suffered serious physical harm. We cannot continue to only react after victims emerge," Abdullah emphasized.

Therefore, he encouraged stakeholders to assess the prevention and handling systems of bullying at home, in schools, and in the community.

"These three areas should be evaluated to determine the effectiveness of current bullying handling programs. The evaluation results must provide input for improving bullying management according to the dynamics and facts that evolve in the field," Abdullah stated.

He insisted that the issue of bullying should not only gain attention when it trends on social media and victims are identified.

"We should not only start talking about bullying after a child becomes a victim. After that, everything goes back to normal until the next case appears. This pattern must be stopped and corrected," said the politician from the Prosperous Justice Party (PKB).

Child Bullying Cases in Surabaya and Pemalang

Recently, there have been several incidents of child bullying in various regions.

First, there’s the case of two children identified as I and U, who are suspected of being involved in the death of Z (10), a child with Down syndrome in Rungkut District, Surabaya.

This incident began on September 12, 2026, when Z was playing on his porch. Two children from the neighborhood approached the victim.

Police stated that one of the children is suspected of committing an act of violence that led to Z's death.

His family found Z lying on the porch around 10 AM WIB. He was taken to Eka Candrarini Regional Hospital but was declared dead.

In addition to the case in Surabaya, a bullying incident also occurred in Pemalang, Central Java. A 7-year-old student died after allegedly being bullied by an upperclassman.

According to data collected by police from the parents, the victim complained of pain while at school on Wednesday (16/9/2026).

The victim briefly lost consciousness at home on Wednesday (30/9/2026). His parents took him to the hospital, but unfortunately, his life could not be saved. He was pronounced dead around 5 PM WIB.